Win Myo Thu
Environmentalist
Oxford, UK
Summary
During last thirty years, I spent the most of my times in remote rural areas of Myanmar to help local poor and the most disadvantaged community for their access to land, forest, water, food and clean environment. This was done through empowering them to defend their resource rights, deliberating participatory democracy and good governance, and supporting local wisdom and innovation for sustainable livelihood initiatives. Together with local communities and other like-minded CSO, we are able to stop unsustainable investment projects of Coal fired Power Plants (8000 MW), Hydro-Power Dam Development (6000 MW) and Commercial Palm Oil Plantation (100,000 acres) while establishing over 50,000 acres of community forests. I contributed to development of National Strategic Framework of Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation by which approximately 300 millions US $ grants were given by government to over 10,000 villages for micro-financing and resilience rural livelihoods.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
2
2
Languages
Work History
Visiting Research Fellow
Earth Science Department & Christ Church College, Oxford University
Oxford
06.2022 - Current
- Research on Climate risk assessment and political ecology impacts in Myanmar
Executive Director
Association of Advancing Life And Regenerating Motherland, ALARM
Yangon, Myanmar
12.1999 - 10.2021
- Overall management of the organization and administering of 5 offices across Myanmar and 80 staff
- Program development and fund raising for development projects (annual budget of 1.5 million US$)
- Mobilizing public campaigns against unsustainable investments in Coal fired Power Plants, Hydro-power Dams, and Commercial Agriculture Plantation from China, Japan and Korea
- Policy Research and Advocacy on FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade), EITI (Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative) and Resource Federalism
- Contributing to policy development works of "National Strategic Biodiversity Action Plan of Union of Myanmar"(UNCBD), National Environmental Performance Assessment (ADB), Strategic Environmental Assessment of Hydro-power Development (IMF), Myanmar Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP/Government), and National Rural Development Strategic Framework and Law.
- Networking with local and international development organizations, civil society organizations, trade unions, academic institutions and community based organization for Environmental Justice Movement and Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
Nation Project Professional Personnel
UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Myanmar
Yangon
08.1997 - 09.1999
- Implementation of Community Forestry in Dry Zone
- Promotion of Wood Energy Saving Stove
- Women Income Generation Activity
- Solar energy initiative
- Capacity building of Community based Organizations
Senior Program Assistant
UN Agencies (UNDP/UNOPS)
Yangon, Myanmar
05.1994 - 10.1996
- Management of UN Field Offices
- Team building and Capacity building of Community Development Workers
- Participatory planning in Project Villages
- Social mobilization and Development of village development organizations
- Logistics and coordination for village development activities
Business Coordinator
Champaca International Trading Co.Ltd
Bangkok, Thailand
09.1992 - 11.1993
Feasibility study for business investment and coordination for business transaction
Plantation Assistant
Ministry of Forestry
Shan State, Myanmar
02.1987 - 02.1990
- Establishment of forest plantations and agroforestry trial plots
- Farmer extension for Social Forestry and Watershed Conservation
- Land use land cover study and ground truth survey
- Forest Working Plan Development
Education
Chevening Fellow - Environmental Democracy & Governance
Center for International Development & Training, University of Wolverhampton
UK 01.2006 - 04.2006
M.Sc - Rural & Regional Development Planning
Asian Institute of Technology
Thailand 05.1990 - 12.1991
BSc - Forestry Science
Institute of Agriculture/Yangon University
Myanmar 12.1980 - 12.1986
Skills
Participatory planning
Policy advocacy
Fund raising
Organization Development
Accomplishments
- Civil society development in Myanmar for democratic reform
- Scaling up the implementation of community forestry and reforestation
- Initiate and mobilize environmental justice and public awareness on climate change adaptation
- Policy development for rural development and natural resource management
- Instrumental for initiatives of Forest Law Enforcement Governance Trade (FLEGT) and Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative
Timeline
Visiting Research Fellow
Earth Science Department & Christ Church College, Oxford University
06.2022 - Current
Chevening Fellow - Environmental Democracy & Governance
Center for International Development & Training, University of Wolverhampton
01.2006 - 04.2006
Executive Director
Association of Advancing Life And Regenerating Motherland, ALARM
12.1999 - 10.2021
Nation Project Professional Personnel
UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Myanmar
08.1997 - 09.1999
Senior Program Assistant
UN Agencies (UNDP/UNOPS)
05.1994 - 10.1996
Business Coordinator
Champaca International Trading Co.Ltd
09.1992 - 11.1993
M.Sc - Rural & Regional Development Planning
Asian Institute of Technology
05.1990 - 12.1991
Plantation Assistant
Ministry of Forestry
02.1987 - 02.1990
BSc - Forestry Science
Institute of Agriculture/Yangon University
12.1980 - 12.1986